Self-Hosted Retro Gaming: RetroAssembly via Docker. Play your retro game collection on your Steam Deck

Published on May 12th 2026

Steam Deck with the RetroAssembly web app open and running

I recently discovered RetroAssembly, a self-hosted retro game emulator that runs entirely in a web browser. It features game saves and supports multiple accounts. Perfect for families where every user wants their own progression.

Deploying RetroAssembly on my home server via Docker was easy. The official site provides documentation and a `compose.yaml` example, which I was able to adapt to my environment.

In this post, I'll walk you through setting up RetroAssembly using Docker, highlight some of its features, and show you how to optimize the experience on a Steam Deck using a custom bash script and kiosk mode.

This tutorial assumes you have a functional Docker environment and are comfortable using the command line.

First, create a dedicated directory for the project and navigate into it:

mkdir -p ~/docker/retroassembly && cd ~/docker/retroassembly

Next, create a docker-compose.yml file using your preferred text editor and add the following configuration:

services:
    retroassembly:
        image: arianrhodsandlot/retroassembly
        ports: [8088:8000]
        volumes: [/var/lib/docker/volumes/retroassembly/_data:/app/data]
        restart: unless-stopped

Volumes: The path /var/lib/docker/volumes/retroassembly/_data ensures your game data and library metadata persist between container updates. Adjust this to a persistent path on your host.
Ports: I mapped host port 8088 to container port 8000. You will use this port to access the web interface.

With the file saved, launch the service in detached mode:

docker compose up -d

Once the container is active, you can access the web interface at http://your-server-ip:8088/.

On your first visit, you will be prompted to create a username and password.

The RetroAssembly UI comes with several consoles enabled by default. You can manage your library by clicking the settings icon in the lower-left corner and navigating to the Library tab.

To add games, simply select a console from the left menu and click the Add button. This allows you to upload ROMs directly through the web UI, which is much more convenient than manually organizing directories and file permissions on the server backend as required by many other emulator front-ends.

Once your ROMs are uploaded, RetroAssembly automatically fetches metadata, including box art, game descriptions, and even YouTube gameplay previews. This data is pulled dynamically from libretro.com, so it doesn't consume extra storage on your server.

A few personal preferences: In Settings > Inputs, I set the controller layout to Xbox Style for better compatibility with most gamepads. I also enabled the crt-easymode shader under Settings > Emulating > Video to give games a retro CRT look.

To set up separate accounts for friends or family, you can manage and add new users under the Settings > General tab.

Adding RetroAssembly as a non-steam game on the Steam Deck

Adding a web app as a "Non-Steam Game" is a way to integrate external tools and apps into your Steam Deck library. This provides full controller support and allows you to launch the app directly from Gaming Mode. Since we are using the Brave Flatpak, we'll need a small wrapper script to bridge the gap between Steam and the Flatpak environment.

Here is the step-by-step process to set up a dedicated kiosk-style launcher for your local retro library:

Create a bash Script

First, we need a script that Steam can execute to launch a specific instance of the Brave browser.

Switch to Desktop Mode on your Steam Deck.
Open the Dolphin file manager.
Navigate to your home directory: /home/deck.
Create a new folder named scripts (if it doesn't exist).

Inside that folder, create a new text file named retroassembly-kiosk.sh.

Right-click the file, select Open With, and choose Kate (or your preferred text editor).

Paste the following content into the file:

#!/bin/bash
# Launch Brave in Kiosk mode via Flatpak
flatpak run com.brave.Browser --kiosk --window-size=1280,800 http://your-server-ip:8088/library

After saving the file and closing the editor, you must make the script executable:

Right-click retroassembly-kiosk.sh and select Properties.
Navigate to the Permissions tab.
Check the box labeled Is executable.
Close the properties window.

Add to Steam Library

Finally, we need to add the script to your Steam library so it can be launched directly from Gaming Mode.

Open the Steam client while still in Desktop Mode.
Click Games in the top menu bar and select Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library....
In the window that appears, click the Browse... button at the bottom.
Navigate to /home/deck/scripts/.
Select retroassembly-kiosk.sh and click Open.
Ensure the script is checked in the list and click Add Selected Programs.

Configure Launch Options

To ensure the best performance and input reliability, I recommend disabling the Steam Overlay for this specific shortcut:

Switch back to Gaming Mode.
Locate the retroassembly-kiosk.sh entry in your library.
Press the Menu button (the button with three horizontal lines).
Navigate to Properties > General.
Toggle off Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.

Note: Disabling the overlay prevents potential focus issues and ensures that the browser in kiosk mode captures your controller inputs without interference.

Launch and Test

Return to Gaming Mode and launch your new RetroAssembly shortcut. The application should open immediately in full-screen kiosk mode, connecting directly to your server.

Since the Steam Deck's native resolution is 1280x800, the --window-size flag we included in the script ensures the interface renders perfectly without any scaling artifacts or letterboxing.